Critic Spotlight: January 2022
[Interview posted as part of a monthly interview series by the American Theatre Critics Association January 6, 2022.] Martha Wade Steketee New York, New YorkPrimary Outlet: urbanexcavations Basics first: where do […]
2021: excavation review
In 2021 — our year of continued recovery from a viral pandemic, from a devastating presidential term, from professional and social recalibrations — theater professionals including dramaturgs and critics have […]
Lindsay Christians | Conferences, events, and food
[Interview by Martha Wade Steketee published as part of an occasional series by the American Theatre Critics Association December 21, 2021.] Journalist Lindsay Christians, whose professional home base is Madison, […]
Counting Towards Equity
On June 10, 2021, a new theater research consortium released a resource and collaboration hub to address equity and accountability in theatrical productions. The Counting Together website brings these resources […]
Dramaturging the Phoenix: The Next Normal and the Right Now
The Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas, one of my professional “home bases,” has run an essay and convening project during the first year of the pandemic. Dramaturging the […]
Notes from the Chair: “We Got Through All Of Last Year And We’re Here”
As a kind of year’s end and year’s beginning, I crafted a summary of the work accomplished by and through the people of the American Theatre Critics Association in 2020. […]
2020: excavation review
This theatrical season will always have an asterisk. The COVID-19 pandemic closed down Broadway theaters as of March 12, 2020, with an uncertain re-opening date, and Off and Off Off […]
ATCA 2020: The Next Normal
American Theatre Critics Association’s 2020 Conference: The Next Normal What good is sitting alone in your room — when through the magic of Zoom, you can join fellow arts journalists […]
Isabella Byrd II: Cradling in the Abyss
[Full article published in UrbanExcavations May 26, 2020, by Martha Wade Steketee.] Isabella Byrd has chased the light in her stage designs around the country in recent years, several of […]
Isabella Byrd I: Chasing the Light
[Full article published in UrbanExcavations May 22, 2020, by Martha Wade Steketee.] I spoke with lighting designer Isabella Byrd several times in 2019, hoping to publish our interviews in several […]
Steinberg-ATCA and Osborn Awards Go Online for the First Time
Two critics, a philanthropist, and four playwrights enter a bar. No, two critics and four playwrights enter a theater. No, critics and playwrights film themselves separately and create a video […]
The Asterisked 2019-2020 Season: Drama Desk Nominations in the Time of the Virus
[A full listing of the 2019-2020 Drama Desk nominations appears here and here (as PDF) — the product of 11 months of effort, given with love for the art form […]
RDU On Stage: Live Chat with Martha Wade Steketee and Lauren Van Hemert
[Originally posted at RDU On Stage April 12, 2020. Martha Wade Steketee and Lauren Van Hemert in conversation.] My colleague Lauren Van Hemert has an active theater web site and […]
Women Making (Sound) Waves: Reflections From Six Leading Sound Designers
[Full article published in Dramatics Magazine April 6, 2020. By Martha Wade Steketee and Anita Martin.] SOUND DESIGNER Palmer Hefferan has noticed that, when watching a theatrical production, people have a […]
Celebrating Sondheim’s Birthday with Garland and Others and “Songs I Wish I’d Written”
On the occasion of Stephen Sondheim’s 80th birthday a decade ago, I called upon a list of songs published on the occasion of his 70th that he said he wished […]
Women Count V: Women Hired Off-Broadway 2014/15 through 2018/19
[Selection from February 2020 report, published February 26, 2020 on the Women Count report series page.] EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: WOMEN COUNT V, 2014/15 THROUGH 2018/19 The Women Count report series collects and […]
urban excavations 